Define: Heredes Proximi Et Remotiores

Heredes proximi et remotiores refers to the nearest and farthest heirs of a deceased individual. When a person passes away, their assets and belongings are inherited by their heirs. The nearest heirs typically include their immediate family members, like their spouse and children. In the absence of immediate family, the inheritance may pass to more distant relatives, such as cousins or even second cousins, who are known as remote heirs.

The term “HEREDS PROXIMI ET REMOTIORES” refers to the legal concept of inheritance, where the closest relatives of a deceased person are considered the primary heirs, while more distant relatives are considered secondary heirs. This concept is applied when a person dies without a will, and their estate is distributed according to the laws of intestacy. In such cases, the deceased person’s spouse and children are typically considered the closest heirs and will inherit the majority of the estate. However, if there are no living spouse or children, the estate may pass to more distant relatives, such as siblings or cousins, who are known as the more remote heirs. Feudal inheritance in medieval Europe also followed a similar principle, where the estate of a lord would pass to his closest male relative in the absence of a male heir. If there were no close male relatives, the estate would then pass to more distant male relatives. These examples demonstrate how the concept of heredes proximi et remotiores has been historically used to determine the rightful heirs of a deceased person’s estate or title.

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This glossary post was last updated: 17th April 2024.